Rahm Emanuel gets "mixed" results in a new poll

Is Mayor Rahm Emanuel turning into a loser in the eyes of many Chicagoans?

It’s not a farfetched conclusion based on the results of a new poll of Chicagoans conducted by Crain’s Chicago Business and Ipsos, a market research firm, soon after the Chicago teachers strike ended.

The headline on the story called Emanuel’s ratings “mixed.” Yet the actual results suggest a far more negative assessment. If President Barack Obama only had a 37 percent overall job approval rating — which is what Emanuel got in the new poll — would any of the national media be calling the findings “mixed”?

Emanuel’s performance in some specific areas, according to the poll, wasn’t any better. Only 32 percent approved of his performance on economic development — an area where the mayor has gotten tons of positive press recently. A mere 15 percent of city residents said they approve of his handling of crime.

The only area in which Emanuel managed to get halfway decent poll numbers — 47 percent approval — was education. In the wake of the teachers' strike, Emanuel used the power of his position and countless TV ads to promote how he handled the strike and the results he gained for our kids despite all the ugliness.

The poll certainly suggests Emanuel is far from a big hit with many Chicagoans. The local media might not be willing to say that flat out just yet. But as this new poll indicates, the public is.